Christmas or the winter solstice has been celebrated for thousands of years. In this blog, we take you back to the pre-Christian Yule, celebrated by the Germanic tribes, Vikings, and Balto-Slavs in Northern Europe. We’ve put together a suitable luxury outfit that will keep you warm during winter days and festivals.
The winter solstice in early societies
As far back as 15,000 years ago, the winter solstice played an important role in the lives of early societies. Food gatherers, hunters, and fishermen in Europe feared the night, which was associated with death and the dangers of predators like bears and wolves. The transition when days became longer and nights shorter after the winter solstice was a significant turning point for them, likely celebrated in their shamanistic nature religions.
Neolithic winter solstice
Around 8000 BC, the first farmers arrived in Europe from Anatolia, responsible for monuments like Stonehenge. For these Neolithic communities, the winter solstice marked the most important moment of the year, symbolizing the transition from long nights associated with death to shorter nights heralding spring. Many Neolithic burial monuments in Britain and Ireland are designed so that sunlight during the winter solstice illuminates the burial chambers, emphasizing the symbolic connection between the dead and their rebirth. It was a transitional period when the dead earth would soon yield grain again. Up until then, surviving the winter was a reason to celebrate!
The Indo-European Sun Cult
Starting around 3000 BC, semi-nomadic herders from the Pontic-Caspian steppes migrated to Europe. They became the ancestors of many modern European peoples and spoke Proto-Indo-European, the language from which most European languages are derived.
The cosmic order was the foundation of their religion. Darkness symbolized death and chaos, while light represented cosmic order, fertility, and life. There were various gods associated with celestial bodies and light, such as *Seh₂ul (Old Norse Sól), god of the sun; *Meh₁not (Old Norse Máni), god of the moon; and *H₂éwsōs (West Germanic Eostre), goddess of the dawn.
The winter solstice, which falls between December 21 and 23, was celebrated by many Indo-European peoples. The Romans held the Saturnalia festival in honor of the god Saturn, and in 274 AD, Emperor Aurelian designated this period as the festival of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, the birthday of Sol Invictus or the 'unconquered sun.' The Vedic peoples of India celebrated the Mahavrata festival, preceded by the rituals of Pitryajna, Traiyambakahoma, and Ekastaka; the Persians celebrated Yalda Night, while the Gallic Coligny calendar mentions the month Equos, which was likely related to fertility.
The Date of Yule
A fragment of a Gothic calendar from the 6th century AD mentions frumajiuleis, although it is uncertain whether this refers to the month of December. This could be the earliest reference to a Yule month.
The Anglo-Saxon historian Bede confirms that both December and January were called Giuli. In the Icelandic calendar, used by figures such as Snorri Sturluson, the second winter month, which begins in late November, is called ýlir.
It is uncertain when the Yule festival was exactly celebrated, but it did not coincide with the later Christian Christmas. The Hákonar saga góða from Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla (12th/13th century) states that Yule was celebrated during the Midwinter Nights and that King Haakon the Good ensured that its date was moved to coincide with the Christian Christmas.
The Midwinter Nights took place after the winter solstice, according to Andreas Nordberg, during the full moon of the second Yule month, which was in January. This aligns with the account of Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg, who writes that the Vikings gathered every nine years in January in Lejre for a blót, where they made offerings to the gods.
The Anglo-Saxon Yuletide: ġēol
In the Old English period, Yule, ġēol or ġēohol, was a 12-day festival, which later became the Twelve Days of Christmas. Here, ǣrra ġēola (pre-Yule) referred to the period before the Yule festival (December) and æftera ġēola (post-Yule) referred to the period after (January). This suggests that the Yuletide lasted roughly two months.
Mōdraniht ("Mother's Night")
Mōdraniht (Night of the Mothers) was a pagan ritual celebrated by the Anglo-Saxons on the evening now known as Christmas Eve.
This event is only mentioned by the 8th-century English monk and historian Bede in his work De Temporum Ratione. He describes that the pagan Anglo-Saxons began their year on the eighth day before the Kalends of January (December 25), and that the night before, which is holy for Christians, was called "Mōdraniht" by the pagans, meaning "Night of the Mothers."
Although Bede does not provide a detailed description of the rituals performed during Mōdraniht, some scholars, including Rudolf Simek, suggest that the festival may have involved offerings to female deities or ancestral mothers.
They link Mōdraniht to the Germanic Matres and Matronae, female figures often depicted in triads and venerated in parts of Germania. Additionally, parallels have been drawn with Scandinavian traditions, such as the Norns and dísablót, a sacrificial feast dedicated to the dísir, female guardian spirits or ancestral spirits.
Information about Mōdraniht is limited to Bede’s mention, and many interpretations are based on comparisons with other Germanic and Scandinavian traditions. Nevertheless, Mōdraniht is seen as an important example of pre-Christian rituals focused on honoring women, goddesses, and ancestors during the midwinter period. Although Yule fell in the season of the dead, it was also a festival for requesting fertility in the coming year, fitting into the broader context of Germanic winter celebrations around Yule.
Wassail
The tradition of wassail began as the greeting "was hál" or "waes haeil," a toast by the Anglo-Saxons wishing good health. Eventually, this greeting became synonymous with the drink consumed during the toast: a warm, spiced beverage, typically beer or wine.
By at least the 15th century, farmers would go wassailing on the Twelfth Night of Christmas (January 5 or 6), visiting their landlord or wealthier neighbors with a wassail bowl. The visitors sang songs in exchange for food and drink, receiving hospitality in return for their blessing. If the landlord refused, he was cursed.
In the late 16th century, Apple Wassailing emerged in Southern England. Groups of young men roamed apple orchards, performing rituals in exchange for a reward. They sang songs or made as much noise as possible. The aim was to "wake up" the cider apple trees and drive away evil spirits, ensuring a successful harvest. The ceremony was led by a wassail king and queen, with toast soaked in wassail hung in the trees as an offering.
These wassail rituals, although emerging in the late Middle Ages, likely have much older pagan origins. They symbolized reciprocity, an important Indo-European principle. The farmers sang for (praised) their landlord in exchange for food, reaffirming their patron-client relationship.
The Scandinavian Yule
The Hákonar saga góða recounts that during the Yule festival for King Haakon, three toasts were made: the first cup was for Odin “for victory and power,” the second for Njörðr and Freyr “for good harvests and peace,” and the third cup, the bragarfull, was in honor of the king himself.
The Orkneyinga saga associates midwinter with Thor, a god linked to weather and fertility.
Odin and the Wild Hunt
The period between Halloween (álfablót) and Yule was the season of the dead. This was the time of the Wild Hunt, a spectral procession led by Odin, accompanied by heightened supernatural activity, including the presence of draugar — undead beings that wandered the earth.
Odin had many names, including Jólnir (‘the Yule-god’). According to the Ágrip from the 12th century, the term jól (Yule) derives from this nickname, referring to a general festival. Even the gods themselves were sometimes called jólnar.
Freyr and the Festival of Fertility
Freyr was the god of kingship, fertility, peace, prosperity, and good harvests. The medieval chronicler Adam of Bremen writes that he was associated with peace and pleasure, and that a phallic statue in his honor was present in the temple of Uppsala. According to Snorri Sturluson, Freyr was "the most renowned of the Æsir," and he was worshipped for good harvests and peace.
The Roman Saturnalia (December 25) is linked to Saturn, the god of fertility of the land, a tradition also seen among the Vikings.
The Yule Ritual
The most well-known Yule ritual is the blót or sacrifice. The primary source for this is the Hákonar saga góða from the 12th/13th century, which describes events from the late 10th century.
The Hákonar saga góða narrates how people gathered at the temple, bringing their own food. Cattle and horses were sacrificed. The blood (hlaut) of the sacrificed animals was collected in a bowl (hlautbolli) and sprinkled with twigs (hlautteinar) on the attendees, temple walls, and the statues of the gods. The meat of the sacrificed animals was boiled and served at the feast. Fires were lit in the center of the temple, and cauldrons hung above. The leader of the feast blessed the sacrificial bowl (drinking horn) and the meat. Drinks, particularly beer, flowed abundantly. During the banquet, toasts were made to Odin, Freyr, and the leader. Toasts were also made in memory of the deceased, the minni.
The sacrifice of a horse was not uncommon. The Proto-Indo-Europeans, originally an equestrian culture, believed that the sun was pulled by horses. The horse symbolized the land, fertility, and kingship. The king sacrificed the horse, symbolically killing the sun, ensuring its rebirth. Only through death could new life emerge. The rebirth of the sun marked the beginning of a new time period. In this way, the king effectively sacrificed himself as an oath to his land. By eating the offering, the subjects reaffirmed their bond with the king and the land.
Another important ceremony was the sonar-blót and the heitstrenging. This is described in the Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar and the Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks. The sonargöltr, a boar, was led inside on Yule evening. The attendees placed their hands on the bristles of the beast and swore oaths. This likely reaffirmed their bond with the king and the gods. After the swearing, the animal was sacrificed and possibly served as the main dish at the sacrificial banquet. The god Freyr rode on the boar Gullinbursti (‘golden bristles’), dedicating the animal to him. This may also be why pork is still traditionally eaten during Christmas.
Composition of the Yule Outfit
In this blog, we have put together a 9th-10th century Viking woman’s outfit. Her attire is based on the clothing that a Viking woman of the Karl class would have worn. Karls were free individuals with legal rights, forming the class of traders, landowning farmers, and warriors. We named this Viking woman Sigrid. Her husband had voting rights in the thing, the local parliament. In case of disputes, she could appeal to the legal system, which offered her protection.
Viking Underdress
Sigrid wears an underdress. The underdress was typically white or cream, either bleached or unbleached. It was regularly washed and helped keep the outer clothing cleaner for longer. Frequent washing caused colors to fade, so the underdress protected the expensive outer garments and extended their lifespan.
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Viking Dress
Sigrid wears a burgundy Viking dress. Burgundy was a common color among the Vikings.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/early-medieval-dress-aelswith-red.html
Viking Apron Dress
Over the dress, Sigrid wears a green apron dress. The apron dress is embroidered with knot motifs commonly found in Viking art. Naturally, Sigrid dresses her best for the Yule celebration. When working on the farm, she would likely not wear the apron dress.
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Brooches and Decoration
Sigrid’s brooches secure her apron dress and gown together. The brooches and the decorations worn between them symbolize Sigrid’s wealth, also representing the prosperity of her husband and the family she belongs to. Between her brooches, Sigrid wears an amber necklace.
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Cosmetic Sets
Some Viking women carried cosmetic items such as nail cleaners, ear spoons, and tweezers attached to their brooches. Viking men were often buried with combs, showing the importance of personal grooming. Vikings were significantly cleaner than Christians of the same period, as their pagan beliefs held that beauty and order reflected cosmic harmony. Ritual washing was expected before approaching their gods. Therefore, women wore luxury cosmetic sets on their brooches as a sign of virtue and status.
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https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-nail-cleaner-birka-grave-660.html
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Viking Belt
Sigrid wears a leather belt to which she can attach everyday items. Knives and scissors could be attached to the belt or to the chains between the brooches, as she has done with the needle case.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/birka-belt.html
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Viking Shoes
Sigrid wears turnshoes, the most common type of footwear throughout the Viking world. Shoes like these were worn by both men and women.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-shoes-heimdall.html
Viking Cloak
Over her clothing, Sigrid wears a cloak. This woolen cloak was essential for the cold Northern European winters. It is trimmed with fur, emphasizing her wealth and status.
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